Quincy Guerrier posted career highs of 23 points and 13 rebounds for his second double-double and Syracuse used a decisive first-half run to pull away and coast to its 10th straight win against Niagara, 75-45, on Thursday at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse (2-0) played without Buddy Boeheim, who will miss the next two games as well due to COVID-19 contact tracing after scoring a team-high 23 points in the opener against Bryant. The Orange also played without 6-10 senior center Bourama Sidibe, who tore his meniscus in the opener and will be out four weeks.
Marcus Hammond had eight points, 10 rebounds and three steals but shot 3-of-13 for Niagara (0-1), which had to pause all basketball activities Nov. 9 following a COVID outbreak on campus and just returned to practice within the past week.
Guerrier, who had 15 points and 13 rebounds against Bryant, shot 9-of-10 from the floor, hit his fourth career 3-pointer and added four offensive rebounds.
Freshman Kadary Richmond replaced Boeheim in the lineup and contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocked shots.
Niagara led 14-13 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half before Illinois transfer Alan Griffin converted a three-point play off a dunk to ignite the Orange.
Syracuse scored 19 straight points to go up 39-16 and led 42-28 at the break.
The Orange's 2-3 zone held the Purple Eagles to 29 percent shooting in the first half, including 5-of-24 from the arc, and the Orange pounded the boards to a 25-13 advantage. Niagara shot 28 percent for the game, including 6-of-36 from the arc, and were outrebounded 51-31.
Syracuse scored 12 straight points early in the second half to open a 54-30 lead and Jim Boeheim substituted freely the rest of the way.
It was a disappointing homecoming for Niagara second-year coach Greg Paulus, a Syracuse native who was the Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year in 2004 and a Syracuse quarterback in 2009.
--Field Level Media
